By Design: Backfitting Good Design

If you ever have the urge to design an
addition that is completely different
from the existing house, my advice is to
resist it. Unless handled by a skilled
designer intent on making a bold artistic
"statement," drastic deviation from
the original style of the home is usually
a mistake. It's difficult to pull off gracefully
and, at worst, becomes an architectural
eyesore.
Introduce New Design Elements
In general, the design guidelines for
an addition should be dictated by the
existing house: A successful addition
looks like it was part of the original construction.
But what if the existing building
is not the best example of design or
is lacking in architectural interest?
Rather than match the poor